While the signs’ messages may seem straightforward, their design could offer some insight into what the candidates are communicating and how they’re saying it.” — A.M.

Norwegian design house Studio 3 has created just the book: behold, the Hyperactivitypography book, a clever kid’s activity book for typography lovers.” (Thanks to Neatorama for the blurb!) — A.M.

Type designer Bruno Maag really hates Helvetica. I mean REALLY hates it. So much so that he’s designed a new type he hopes will wipe it off the face of the earth. In an interview with Creative Review editor Patrick Burgoyne, Maag explains why. And  you can check out Aktiv Grotesk on the  Dalton Maag website. — P.M.K.

For years, the university has used Arial. But during spring break last week, it switched to Century Gothic, which uses roughly 30 percent less ink when printed on paper.” — K.E.

Sagmeister on the cover of his latest book, "Things I have learned in my life so far"

Whether he’s carving poster text into his own body, staging giant inflatable monkeys around Scotland, or designing an evolutionary chair, Stefan Sagmeister always brings a fresh new perspective to whatever he’s working on. The secret to his performance art/design? Maybe it’s the once-every-seven-years sabbaticals he insists on, or the homespun wisdom he acquired from his sign-painter grandfather.

Find out at the “Designing Change; Changing Design” 2010 SEGD Conference + Expo June 2-5 in Washington, D.C.  This week, Stefan took a quick break from an on-location shoot in Malaysia to check in with SEGD.

Poster for Detroit AIGA event, 1999

Q. So your grandfather was a sign painter. How do you think that influences your design work?

A. My grandfather was educated in sign painting and I grew up with many of his pieces of wisdom around the house, traditional calligraphy carefully applied in gold leaf on painstakingly carved wooden panels.

I am following his tradition with our own typographic works. All of them are part of a list I found in my diary under the title “Things I have learned in my life so far.”

Q. Why do you take your periodic sabbaticals? Does it change how you design? Or how you relate to your clients?

A. Yes. There are just so many things for which there never seems to be enough time with the studio running at full speed. Sabbaticals insure that I can continue to see my work as somewhat of a calling instead of a 9-5 job.

How this last one changed how I will design is too early to tell, as I will only be able to properly judge the influence of this year once I’ve been back at work for another seven.

Q. What would you like to change about design?

A. I think many designers get lost within the incredible, endless possibilities of technology. Because it can do so much, we are often overwhelmed by the choices and there is a danger to take the easy way and consequently, get stuck with some silly multilayer Photoshop-y look. Electronic musician Brian Eno acknowledged in an interview that the electric guitar became the dominant instrument of the 20th century because it is such a stupid instrument that can do so little, thus encouraging players to go on the edge of its possibilities.

Q. What would you like to change about the world?

A. It would be wonderful if we would take our minds as seriously as we take our bodies and consciously train them.